𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐬 | 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐨 𝐞𝐫𝐚

Chapter 4. The Sorting ☾

A/N Okay another chapter up...

As the train came to a stop, Harry, Draco, and Hermione all filed off into the Hogsmeade station. There was a lot of noise but over the crowd Harry could hear "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" Hagrid shouted.

Harry smiled and reminisced. He just couldn't believe he was back at his beloved Hogwarts again. He walked over to the half giant. "Hey Hagrid!" He greeted.

"Harry! How yuh doin'? Did yuh get to the platform a'right?" He asked giving Harry a suffocating hug.

When Harry was finally released he smiled and replied, "I'm good. Yes, I got there okay. It wasn't too hard." Harry silently added that it was odd that Hagrid "forgot" to tell him about the platform, but was now asking him if he found it. It was strange but Harry decided to think about it later. Once Hagrid had collected all the first years, they headed toward the boats.

"No more than four on a boat." He told them. Harry and the crew-regrettably including Ron-got in the boat. The boats started moving across the Black Lake.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec" Hagrid called.

"Wow!" Many exclaimed as the castle came into view. The three time travelers recalled the last time they rode the boats to Hogwarts. They smiled as the remembered the wonder they felt.

Draco suddenly had an idea. "I heard there's a giant squid who eats children on their way to the castle. I also heard it prefers redheads." He whispered behind his hand in Ron's direction.

Ron went wide eyed and then squinted at the young Malfoy. "I'm not gonna fall for that one, Malfoy." He spat confidently, eyeing the water, and scooting closer to Hermione, whom he was sitting next to.

"I'm just saying what I've heard, Weasley." He bit back, all the while throwing a smirk at Harry. Harry giggled, but covered it with a cough. Hermione gave the boys a disappointing look, but bit back a laugh as well. For the rest of the ride, Ron stayed nervously quiet.

Finally, they had arrived at the castle. Hagrid led them to a hall with a stern looking woman in front of a pair of large doors. The woman had on green, fitting robes and wore a tight-lipped smile.

"He'e yuh go, Professor McGonagall!" Hagrid called to the woman.

She smiled and replied. "Thank you, Hagrid." She looked around at the first years, "Welcome to Hogwarts! The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes your own.

"The sorting ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."